Test-connector



J. M. PEIRCE.

TEST CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION men JULY 5.191s.

1 370 554. Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

JOHN PEIRCE, OF SOUTH CHARLESTON, OHIO.

' TEST-CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed July 5, 1918. Serial No. 243,378.

To all 107mm 2'2- may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. PnIncn, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Charleston, in the county of Clark and Stateof Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Test-Connectors, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the drawings forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to test connectors.

More particularly my invention relates to test connectors such as are employed in the electrical art, for mechanically connecting two or more wires and arranging for conveying electricity from one wire to the other.

Test connectors provided heretofore in the art have been generally impracticable on account of requiring tools such as a wrench, screw driver, or pliers in order to make or break the electrical connection between the wires. This is a very serious handicap to a man on the cross arm of a test pole with a testing set to look after.

Devices of the prior art have been rendered further impracticable by corrosion due to galvanic action, thereby frequently producing disturbances in the line. It has 'i'urther been found to be a common fault of the devices of the prior art to break the electrical connection between the wires by accidental opening due to thevibration of the line wires.

My invention aims to provide a test connector wherein the electrical connection may be readily opened or closed without requiring the use of a wrench, pliers, screw driver or the like. Upon placing the test connector of my invention in position in an electrical line wire connection, the electrical connection between the two terminals of the wire can be readily broken without removing any of the parts of the connector from their engagement with the wires.

My invention aims further to provide a test connector wherein a wiping contact will be made every time the connector is opened or closed, thereby insuring an absolutely tight connection at all times.

It is a still further aim of my invention to provide a test connector wherein the connecting surface shall be ample, thereby insuring suificient carrying capacity,my improved construction effectively preventing corrosion due to galvanic action. The test connector of my invention further provides for retaining the securing means securely against displacement due to the vibration of the line wires; no lock nut or the like being required.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, wherein I have illustrated a particular embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved connector in operative position in an electrical line wire;

Fig. 2 is a view of my improved test connector in the closed position, the securing means being shown in section; and

Fig. 3 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 2 showing the device of my invention in the open position.

In the drawings, and particularly in Fig. 1, the insulators 1 and 2 are mounted upon the usual supporting pins 3 and 4. The supporting pins 3 and 4 are suitably secured in the cross arms 5 and 6 respectively, these cross armsbeing carried by a pole not shown.

It is often necessary to test electrical line connections to determine the existence of certain conditions therein in other words to make tests for the determination and lo cation of grounds, crosses, breaks, etc. This is usually done by providing normally closed connecting jumpers in the line so that a testing set can be conveniently connected thereinto, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

My improved connector is adapted to'be permanently soldered or otherwise metallically secured in position in the line wire'7, thereby forming a suitable connecting jumper in the line; these connecting jumpers peing provided at desired intervals in the As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 my improved test connector comprises a pair of opposed terminal members 8 and 9, these terminal members being movable relative to each other. The terminal members 8 and 9 are bent within their length, thereby forming overlapping extensions 10 and 11 extending parallel to each other and at substantially right angles to the upper ends ofthe terminal members. The lower end of the downwardly extending portion 11 of the terminal member 9, this downwardly extending portion 11 being shorter than the downwardly extending portion 10 of the terminal member 8 for a purpose which will be hereinafter apparent, is beveled off as shown at 12 in Figs. 2 and 3. The beveled end 12 provided on the terminal member 9 is adapted to cooperate, when the members 8 and 9 are as sembled, with a correspondingly beveled shoulder 13 provided in the downwardly extending portion 10 of the terminal member 8, thereby assisting in alining these members so that they may be conveniently threaded.

' The beveled end 12 and beveled shoulder 13 later assist in alining the threaded shanks 10 and 11 of the terminal members 8 and 9,

respectively, so that a suitable securing member can be threaded thereon.

The cooperating inner faces 14 and 15 of the terminal members 8 and 9 are substantially flat, these terminal members being externally cylindrical. It will now be apparent that upon assembling the terminal members 8 and 9 with the inner faces 14 and 15 in engagement, a cylindrical shank of equal diameter throughout will be formed thereby.

The downwardly extending portion 10 of the terminal member 8 is in the form of a complete cylindrical stem 19 below the beveled shoulder 13. The cooperation of the beveled end12 of the terminal member 9 with the beveled. shoulder 13 of the terminal member 8 and consequently the engagement of the substantially flat faces 1 1 and 15 of the terminal members 8 and 9 respectively, forms a cylindrical stem as hereinbefore pointed out, which is then threaded as shown for the reception of a suitable winged nut 16 thereon. It might be said here that the terminal members 8 and 9 and the winged nut 16 are preferably all fashioned from the same kind of metal, thereby effectively preventing corrosion which might otherwise result, due to galvanic action.

The horizontally extending portions of the terminal members 8 and 9 are provided with suitable apertures as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, for the reception of the free ends 17 and 18 respectively of the line wire 7. The free ends 17 and 18 forming a connecting jumper in the line wire 7 are inserted through the apertures provided .in the horizontally extending portions of the terminal members 8 and 9 and are then suitably soldered or otherwise metallically secured to these terminal members.

It will now be apparent that in operation the test connector of my invention need not be removed when once put in place. The electrical connection between the free ends 17 and 18 of the line wire 7 may be broken by grasping the winged nut 16 between the fingers and threading the same downwardly about the cooperating terminal members 8 and 9 into the position shown in Fig. 3. The terminal members 8 and 9 are then movable relatively to each other to facilitate testing of the linewire 7 on either side of the test connector by connecting a testing set to either of the terminals 8 or 9 according to the side to be tested, the testing set being provided with the usual terminal clips to facilitate attachment to either of the terminal members 8 or 9. I have provided the cylindrical shank 19 on the lower end of the terminal member 10 so that when the test connector is opened the winged nut 16 will be threaded thereupon, thereby releasing the terminal member 11 without disengaging the winged nut 16 from the terminal member 10. This is a very advantageous feature in that it prevents the winged nut 16 from falling to the ground upon opening the connector, which is a common fault of the devices of the prior art.

' The downwardly extending portions or shanks 10 and 11 of the terminal members 8 and 9 are not bent at a sharp angle to the terminal members, but are bent gradually so that the upper threaded portions of the shanks 10 and 11 will spread apart when the connector is opened.

It will now be apparent that upon threading the winged nut '16 upwardly about the cooperating" shanks 10 and 11 the upper spreading portions of these shanks will be clamped together against the resiliency thereof, therebysecurely holding the winged nut 16 against displacement when the connector is closed, such as backing off of the threaded shanks. This has been found to be a common fault of the prior art devices due to the vibration of the line wires.

Upon threading the winged nut '16 upwardly about the cotiperating shanks 10 and 11 these shanks will be forced securely into engagement, thereby providing an 7 absolutely tight joint at all times for excluding rain water and foreign substances that might otherwise become lodged therebetween. Although this engagement of the flat faces 14 and 15 of the shanks 10 and 11 is absolutely tight when the connector is closed, I depend foi my electrical contact chiefly upon the engagement and wiping contact of the threads provided on the shanks 10 and 11, with the threads provided in the winged nut 16. An excellent rubbing contact is thus had every time the connector is opened or closed.

It will now be apparent that the device of my invention, although particularly applicableto service in telephone circuits, may

be used in other line connections: I therefore do not intend to be limited to the specific disclosure or precise utility specified,

but aim to cover all modifications and adaptations coming within the scope of my invention, as set out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a test connector :1 pair of terminal members adapted to be placed in an electrical connection, said terminal members being.

movable relatively to each other, and having overlapping extensions bent at substantially right angles thereto, and threaded seeming means adapted to embrace said right angled extensions to clamp said terminal members securely together, one of said right angled extensions being of substantially greater length than the other right angled extension for retaining said threaded securing means when the connector is opened.

2. In a test connector :1 pair of terminal members adapted to be placed in an electrical connection, said terminal members being movable relatively to each other and having overlapping extensions bent at substantially right angles thereto, one of said terminal members having a beveled end adapted for cooperation with a beveled shoulder provided in the other terminal member and threaded securing means adapted to embrace said terminal members to clamp said terminal members securely together, one of said terminal members being of substantially greater length than the other terminal memher for retaining said threaded securing means when the connector is opened.

3. In a test connector a pair of terminal members adapted to be placed in an electrical connection, the free ends of said terminal members being externally cylindrical and formed to lie parallel with each other, said terminal members having substantially flatv inner faces adapted to cooperate when assembled to form a threaded stem, and threaded securing means adapted to embrace the threaded stem thus formed to clamp said terminal members securely together, one of said terminal members being of substantially greater length than the other terminal member for retaining said threaded securing means when the connector is opened, the resiliency of said terminal members preventing displacement of said threaded securing means when the connector is closed.

4. A test connector comprising a pair of connector members, adapted for connection to the adjoining ends of two line wires, said connector being freely suspended between the ends of said line wires and being capable of angular rotation with said line, said members having semi-cylindrical end portions bent at substantially right angles to the line, said end portions being threaded and adapted when assembled to form a cylindrical threaded stem, threaded securing means adapted to thread up over said stem to clamp said connector members together. and means for retaining said securing means in engagement with one of said members upon separation of said connector members.

5. A test connector comprising a pair of connector members, adapted for connection to the adjoining ends of two line wires, said connector being freely suspended between the ends of said line wires and being capable of angular rotation with said line, said members having semicylindrical end portions bent at substantially right angles to the line, said end portions bein threaded and adapted when assembled to form a cylindrical threaded stem, one of said end portions being of substantially greater length than the other, said other end portion having a beveled end adapted for cooperation with a beveled shoulder, provided in the first end portion, and threaded securing means adapted to thread up over said end portion to clamp said connector members together.

6. In a test connector for an electrical line, a pair of semi-cylindrical members disposed at substantially right angles to the line and extending in the same direction with fiat faces in contact and their cylindrical faces forming a. complete cylinder, the cylindrical surfaces being provided with cooperating parts of a continuous screw thread and a nut threaded over the free ends of said members upon said thread to hold the members firmly in contact mechanically and electrically.

7. In a test connector for an electrical line, a pair of semi-cylindrical members disposed at substantially right angles to the line and extending in the same direction with flat faces in contact and their cylindrical faces forming a complete cylinder, the cylindrical surfaces being provided with cooperating parts of a continuous screw thread and a nut threaded over the free ends of said members upon said thread to hold the members firmly in contact mechanically and electrically, one of said members having an extension of cylindrical form hear ing an extension of said screw thread, said extension of cylindrical form overhanging tie outer end of said other member to guide the threaded nut upon the portion of the thread carried by said other member.

8. In a test connector for an electrical line, a pair of semi-cylindri cal members disposed at substantially right angles to the line and extending in the same direction with flat faces in contact and their cylindrical faces forming a complete cylinder, the cylindrical surfaces being provided with cooperating parts of a continuous screw thread and a nut threaded over the free ends of said members upon said thread to hold the members firmly in contact mechanically and elec trically, said members having their terminal ends bent away from the threaded ends so that the threading of the nuts toward the bent portions tends to wedge the members firmly together.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of June, A. D. 1918.

JOHN M. PEIRCE. 

